Eugenie Bouchard and Maria Sharapova faced off in the second quarter-final of Tuesday in the Australian Open.
The Canadian was looking to reach her second semi-final in a row in the competition, while Sharapova was hopeful of rebounding after crashing out in round four in 2014.
However, the match proved to be a straightforward victory for the Russian as she overpowered the number seven seed with a straight-sets victory 6-3 6-2 to reach the last four where she will face Ekaterina Makarova.
Read how all the action unfolded in our commentary below.
Good evening and welcome to the live commentary of the quarter-final match between Eugenie Bouchard and Maria Sharapova at the Australian Open.
Bouchard will be looking to reach the semi-finals of the competition for the second year in a row following her exploits in 2014. The 20-year-old beat Irina-Camelia Begu in the fourth round without being at her best, so she will want an improvement against the number two seed this evening.
Sharapova admitted that she wasn't overly impressed with her performance against Shuai Peng in the last round of the competition despite the relative ease of her victory. The 27-year-old has a good record in the competition she won in 2008, while she also reached the final in 2012.
The players are out on the court and we should be underway shortly.
Here we go, Bouchard will serve first.
BREAK Nervy start from Bouchard as she finds the net with her first return, while her second is overhit and bounces out to hand Sharapova a 30-0 lead. The 20-year-old then double faults to give the number two seed three break points before an error from the Russian gets Bouchard on the board. However, the Canadian miscues her backhand to hand Sharapova a break of serve in the first game.
Sharapova begins her service game with a dime right down the middle of the court which Bouchard can't return. Bouchard continues her nervy start with a poor backhand into the net before Sharapova double faults. More tennis poor tennis from the 20-year follows as she hits her first shot of the rally into the net and then out to lose the game. Not a good start from the seventh seed.
Sharapova's dominance continues in the early stages as she wins the first point of the game, but Bouchard battles back with two quality serves before she finds a forehand winner to bring up game point. The 20-year-old finally gets going as she works Sharapova across the court before drilling a forehand across court to secure the game. Better from the Canadian as she looks to kick into gear.
The Russian starts with a powerful serve down the 'T' which yields a poor return before she crashes a winner into the corner with a fierce forehand. Bouchard tries to match the number two seed stroke for stroke but can't control her forehand into the corner and then hits a loose backhand. The 20-year-old is long her on return again as Sharapova moves further ahead in the set.
A wonderfully well played point from Sharapova begins the fifth set as he keeps Bouchard at the back of the court before dropping the ball over the net to take the lead. A double fault from the Canadian follows, but she battles back with an accurate backhand into the corner which is too good for the Russian. However, Sharapova earns another break point with a brilliant backhand to earn a break point, but back comes the Canadian with an ace. A battle ensues on deuce, but Bouchard plays a brilliant point then fires an unplayable serve at the Russian to take the game.
A good start for Bouchard as Sharapova tries to catch the line on a cross-court forehand, but she just misses the line. The Russian battles back with an ace and then shows a keen eye to challenge a shot from the Canadian, which replays show bounced millimetres out. However, Bouchard moves the 27-year-old around the court and produces a break point with two good forehands, but tries an ambitious winner which bounces out. Deuce ensues, and a Sharapova double fault hands Bouchard a great chance to break, but two errors from the Canadian reverses the situation. The Russian gets the vital hold as she brilliantly stays in the point before nailing a passing backhand shot.
The 20-year-old finds her rhythm straightaway with a backhand winner which bounces on the baseline, and then follow that up with a forehand winner into the corner. Sharapova's response is emphatic as she works the Canadian around the court before producing a drop shot to win the point. However, the number seven seed shows her spirit to fight back to force two errors from Sharapova to take the game.
Sharapova's serve has really been on point in this match and she continues to trouble Bouchard as she fires her serve down the 'T' to win the first point. The 20-year-old hits back with a powerful return on Sharapova's second serve, but an error from the Canadian and another top serve from the number two seed hand her control of the game. Bouchard gets the game back to deuce, but Sharapova is able to up the ante on her serve to claim the two points needed to win the game.
BREAK AND SET! Bouchard makes an early mistake as her forehand travels out, but she makes up for it in the next rally as the duo exchange a ferocious barrage of shots before the 20-year-old comes up with a forehand winner deep into the corner. However, the number two seed comes up with an impressive backhand to bring the error from the Canadian. After restoring parity Bouchard is unable to hold the Russian back as he commits back-to-back miscues on her backhand as Sharapova takes the first set.
Sharapova's excellent service game in the match continues with the first point as he nails her shot down the 'T', while she then works Bouchard around the court to produce an error, and then a winner with her backhand into the corner. The 20-year-old shows some fight as Sharapova finds the net and finds a winner on her forehand. However, the Russian seals the set as Bouchard commits an unforced error into the net.
A bad start to the game from Bouchard as he produces an unforced error for the 23rd time in the game, but she bounces back with a solid rally to earn the point after working Sharapova over in the middle of the court. The players exchange winners on alternate points, but Sharapova has the break point only for Bouchard to produce a brilliant drop shot. The Canadian uses all her ability to dig out another point with a superb backhand winner, but follows that up with a carelees loose shot into the net. However, two uncharacteristic errors from Sharapova hand Bouchard the crucial hold as she drills her backhand into the net.
Sharapova's power comes to fore in the first point of the game as she works Bouchard over to her backhand to force the miscue. The Russian finds her forehand again with a drive down the line that the Canadian can't return, but then makes another error by smashing her backhand into the net. However, two more excellent shots by the Russian secure the game as Bouchard has no answer for her play on serve at the moment.
BREAK! Sharapova takes control of the second set as her power proves too much for the 20-year who makes mistakes on every point to hand the Russian the game. It is looking a bit ominous for the Canadian now!
Bouchard starts well as she finds a backhand winner to the baseline to pick up the first point of the game, while a double fault from Sharapova gives her a glimmer of hope. However, the 27-year-old comes roaring back with an accurate serve and picks out the corner with her return and then powers back into the game moving Bouchard around the court to get a game point. A loose shot from the number seven seed hands her the game as her forehand crashes into the bottom of the net.
The Russian is dominating the court at the moment as she pulls the 20-year-old one way then the other before hitting a forehand winner, but Bouchard gives her a taste of her own medicine in the next point before finding a bullet serve down the 'T'. A loose shot from Sharapova hands the 20-year-old two game points, but she needs only one as Sharapova claims the ball is out from a Bouchard forehand, but replays show it bounces on the line.
Sharapova's service game has gotten better throughout the game as Bouchard can't return the first, while the Canadian then produces a loose shot to hand the Russian a 30-0 lead. Another excellent serve doesn't give Bouchard a chance as the Russian nails her shot with pinpoint accuracy before she seals the set as the 20-year-old's sails long. The number two seed is closing in on victory.
GAME, SET, MATCH! Brilliant tennis from Sharapova once again as Bouchard is chasing shadows at the back of the court before the Russian pulls the trigger on a forehand winner. A couple of errors bring the Canadian back into the game as the Russian loses focus with the uncharacteristic mistakes. She returns with vigour to bring the game back to deuce with two drives at the feet of the Canadian, while another drilled shot down the line brought up a match point. Sharapova sealed her win with another brilliant forehand winner to book her place in the last four.
A really impressive performance from Sharapova which included an excellent array of shots at the back of the court as well as at the net. Her serving was on point all evening as she didn't give the Canadian a sniff of a break point, and will now face off against fellow Russian Ekaterina Makarova in the last four.
Bouchard will be disappointed with her display in the match as she made far too many mistakes, especially in the first set where she appeared to be very nervy in the opening minutes of the match. The 20-year-old never recovered and failed to cope with the power of the Russian.
#Sharapova sets up an all-Russian SF vs. #Makarova after blasting past #Bouchard 6-3 6-2 to reach her 7th #ausopen SF pic.twitter.com/CfKyX7Rs1E
— Australian Open (@AustralianOpen) January 27, 2015
Thanks for joining our commentary of this match. Next up in the Rod Laver Arena will the men's singles match between Rafael Nadal and Tomas Berdych.
